Privatisation only helps the shareholders.

Cristina Parker, Burton-on-Trent

Privatisation for profit is obscene, selfish, greedy and undemocratic.

June Sutherby, Pocklington

We need to do something because soon Kent to Manchester will cost over

Steve King, Royal Tunbridge Wells

The free market has failed.

Anthony Gaunt, Nottingham

Enough of rip-off train operating companies and greedy leasing companies. Let’s get back to a public service on the rails.

John Rich, Ely

Why should we continue to put up with over inflation prices with profits going to the rich rather than being invested in providing a better train service.

David Glover, Chipping Norton

BR was privatised for one reason only – to take infrastructure owned by the people and put it into the hands of the bankers and fat cats like Branson – total greed!

David Latimer, Minehead

Even though I’m a Conservative, I think that it would be right if British Rail came back into being, the whole thing is a mess and it won’t end well.

Alex Wilson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I love trains but I hate how much they cost these days. It’s pretty hard to persuade people to be climate-friendly when planes are often cheaper.

Sophie Ramsay, London

All public services should be run for people not profit.

David Treasurer, Canterbury

Due to the crazy price increases in recent years, far outstripping my wage rises, rail travel is simply not a viable alternative to my car for commute or leisure.

Andrew Foulds, Leicester

Privatisation has failed. Something as important as the railway system needs to be publicly-owned for the sake of coherence, efficiency and safety.

Ann Petherick, York

Bring back British Rail.

Neil Floate, Nottingham

Twenty years of private incompetence. It’s time to re-nationalise.

David Bonner, Harrow

When is enough profit enough? Travelling by train is becoming unaffordable.

Tim Pennington, London

Privatisation has been shown again and again to make public services worse, not better. Railways are not set up for a competitive market.

Daniel Hadley, Brighton

Let us all join together and have this mess sorted out once and for all.

Adrian Wood, Bridport

British Rail needed a shake up, not privatisation – ex Railway Signalling Instructor.

Bob McNair, Kilbarchan

The rail network’s commitment to above inflation price rises proves privatisation has failed the people of Britain. It needs to end now.

Kester Park, York

Sending good wishes from across the pond for success in your fight for a British Rail run for people, not profit.

Nancy Neal

I am a frequent traveller and believe that the fragmentation of the system causes waste and inefficiency. Blame John Major.

Tom McGuinness, Bourne

Managed properly, nothing should be able to beat a nationalised rail industry.

Nicholas Roscoe, Sheffield

Kill Southern dead.

Daniel Cotfas, London

End the crazy ticket price lottery and bring back direct trains from Shrewsbury to London.

Paul Baskeyfield, Church Stretton

I’m sick of seeing profiteering from our infrastructure.

Jeff Zie, Dorking

Selling the profitable East Coast route to German state railways seems daft.

Peter King, Edinburgh

The kind of people who complain about the bureaucracy of the EU are the same kind of people who designed the Byzantine complexity of Britain’s privatised railway.

Terry Grimley, Birmingham

Who would have thought such a run-down organisation could be preferred to the farce we have now?

Deb Davy, Doncaster

British Rail had more flexibility with tickets and better value. It was better all round.

John Richard Jones, Preston

It’s a ridiculously complicated system that is frankly embarrassing to explain to visitors. There is no logic. Bring back a normalised ticketing system that makes sense.

David Knox, Todmorden